Did you know?
Tooth brushing and flossing is not enough
“Brush twice daily and you’ll be fine”, we’ve all heard, believed and tried to practice this all our lives. Well, I’m afraid to tell you that it’s not entirely true. Brushing twice daily and flossing regularly is a very good practice. However, it isn’t enough to get rid of entirely all the plague that is formed in your mouth. That is why it is highly recommended to see your dentist every 6 months for routine professional cleaning (scaling and polishing) and dental checkup. Why is this?
- You’re not perfect. We must all begin to accept that though we try to brush and floss well, we’re unable to get rid of all the plague that settles on the surfaces in our mouth.
- There are areas where your brush cannot reach. Below the gum-level is something like a small gutter where plague is able to hide from our brushes and flosses. Also a lot of us have some teeth that are not arranged well or are malposed. This enables plague to hide.
- Periodontal disease or “gum disease” is elusive. Redden, puffy, and gums that easily bleed are well-known symptoms of “gum disease”. It is a pity most of us do not know that it also leads to a gradual reduction in the level of bone around our teeth. This is the main reason why a lot of people lose their teeth in old age. Bacteria that live in plague are responsible for bone loss. Therefore it is recommended that one sees a dentist regularly.
- Many of us are unable to brush twice daily.
- The presence of poorly positioned teeth makes it difficult to brush certain areas.
- Many of us fail to floss regularly. A floss is a thin thread that is slipped in between our teeth to help bring our food particles that settle there. Many of us however do not floss and those who do, do not do so regularly. Flossing helps but there’s still some plague left behind even after doing so.
- Some of us are not dexterous enough to brush well enough; especially children. Brushing and flossing is an art that requires dexterity (the skill in performing tasks with your hands and fingers). It is acquired from childhood and takes some time to perfect.
- We all have our “lazy times”. During these times we do not brush twice daily or do not brush at all.
- Bad oral hygiene habits picked up during childhood. Some people were born to illiterate parents who were unable to teach them the right way to brush. All they may have known was to brush hard and to recommend certain materials and methods to you. With the development of science and dentistry, some of these methods have been proven to cause more harm than good.
Brushing and flossing will work wonders for your oral health, but they will not eliminate periodontal disease on their own. Book an oral examination with your dentist today!
5 Comments
Judith
Thank you 😊 for today
Elizabeth
I want to know where your clinic is located or its only home services you offer.
Dr. Josh
Yes please it’s only home services for now.
Cleaning is currently 400-600 cedis depending on your location. But you get a discount when you’re more than one person booking at the same time and the same location. Eg family
Elizabeth
How much does cleaning of the teeth cost.
Josh
399 cedis. It’s a door to door service